Statistics show that 80 per cent of Canadians overall and 93 per cent of children aged four- to eight-years-old consume too much salt, while a quarter of adults have high blood pressure.

Health Canada says additional measures are needed to lower sodium in processed foods, and it will be proposing regulations to make it easier for consumers to make healthier choices.

“There is too much salt in the food we eat, in particular in processed foods,” says federal Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor. “Reducing sodium in foods is an important step towards improving the health of Canadians.”